Lunch at Share at the Westin

A colleague and I were staffing a table at a conference recently at the Westin Hotel. We decided to lunch at Share, the hotel's restaurant, for convenience's sake. We had missed breakfast, but were able to take advantage of the fixed price lunch menu, which included coffee, a main, and a dessert for only $15.

Corn fritters on guacamole. #yeg #yegfood #yegeats #foodporn

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Feb 10, 2018 at 5:42pm PST

To start, we decided to share an order of corn fritters. Crispy and slightly sweet, the warm maple vinaigrette went well with them, as did the guacamole, which was a surprise. An interesting flavour profile, but it worked in a Southern kind of way.

Avocado toast three ways. #yeg #yegfood #yegeats #foodporn

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Feb 10, 2018 at 5:44pm PST

We both had the avocado toast three ways, which led to jokes about why this meant we would never have nice things. Jokes aside, the finger-sized toasts were piled high with avocado, as well as three different toppings - smoked salmon (my favourite), caramelized onions (with feta, that I held), and tomato with balsamic dressing. A heaping pile of arugula was on the side.

Crème brûlée. #yeg #yegfood #yegeats #foodporn

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Feb 10, 2018 at 5:42pm PST

Our dessert was the creme brûlée, topped with some fruit and garnished with a small biscotti. The top was perfectly crispy and not burned. It was a great end to a great meal.

Pizza at Sherlock's Campus

Decided to try pizza at @sherlockscampus.yegfood since a large three-topper is only $15 during Happy Hour. It was pretty great! #yeg #yegfood #yegeats #foodporn #sherlockscampus

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Feb 7, 2018 at 4:18pm PST

I would never think to order a pizza at Sherlocks (I tend to visit the Campus location most frequently), but during Happy Hour their large, 14-inch pizza with three toppings was on sale for $15. That is a very good deal. So, I ordered one knowing that leftovers were in the cards. My pizza with black olives, mushrooms, and pineapple was really good. The amount of cheese was good, the sauce was not overpowering, and there was a lot of topping. The crust was thin but held up well. I was pleasantly surprised and will definitely go for the pizza here again.

Sweet Corn Muffin at District Cafe and Bakery

Cappuccino and a sweet corn muffin. #yeg #yegfood #yegeats #foodporn

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Jan 31, 2018 at 12:27pm PST

I love corn bread and muffins, and not just as sides to soups and barbecue. A good corn muffin should be able to hold its own, the the sweet corn muffin I had recently at District Cafe and Bakery hit the spot. It was sweet, crunchy on top, and full of corn.

Homestyle Beef Chili at District

Warm chili on a cold day. #yeg #yegfood #yegeats #foodporn

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Jan 31, 2018 at 11:41am PST

I have been to District Cafe and Bakery a few times over the past month for meetings. When I was there over lunch one time, I ordered the chili, which was packed with beef - and not ground beef - and vegetables and beans. It was hot and hearty, and almost read like a stew to me, with the flavour profile of chili though. The buttermilk biscuit was the perfect add on - crunchy and buttery.

Black Bean Burger at the Brick and Whiskey

Black bean burger at #brickandwhiskey - likely the best veggie burger I have had lately. #yegfood #yeg #yegeats #foodporn

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Feb 3, 2018 at 3:20pm PST

I arrived at the Brick and Whiskey (8937 82 Ave.) just too late for brunch on a Saturday afternoon, so I had to order off of the regular menu instead. My black bean burger was amazing - one of the best veggie burgers I have ever had. The patty itself is a flavourful blend of black beans and chickpeas, full of protein. The bun had an excellent spread and lots of cilantro - I love cilantro and it added to the burger's flavour profile.

Pizza at Brick and Whiskey

Because pizza. #brickandwhiskey #yeg #yegfood #yegeats #foodporn

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Feb 3, 2018 at 6:24pm PST

I was relaxing at the Brick and Whiskey (8937 Whyte Avenue) on a Saturday evening before heading to an event, and ordered an eight inch pizza to go with my drink. I built my own two-topper with black olives and mushrooms. The pizza was deep, loaded with cheese and toppings, and even though it was only 8 inches, I had to share! I would definitely recommend one of their larger pizzas for a group, and you will all be full and happy.

Just Desserts: Mixed Berry Frangipane Cake at Block 1912

This is Saturday. Cappuccino and a mixed berry frangipane. #yeg #yegfood #yegeats #foodporn

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Feb 17, 2018 at 12:24pm PST

Saturday afternoons at Block 1912 are precious, when I have a moment to catch my breath. This past weekend I paired a mixed berry frangipane cake with my cappuccino. The cake had a crispy bottom, with a moist centre layered with fruit. Of course, the top was covered with fresh fruit. The result was not too heavy and very satisfying (and delicious).